Symbolic
by Silva Bramley
Summary: “I am my darkest side. There is no good left in me, if there was ever any good in me in the first place. I’ve come here for one reason, and it wasn’t to talk to you,” Sasuke shot back, though making no move to leave. SasukexIno


**A/N: Working on my Dialouge. I love this story, it was fun to type. The ending makes me a little scared. I fear that it might be out of character.**

"You picked a good night," Came a voice from behind him. He turned to see her standing there, barely visible in the moonless night. He hadn't expected to be found so early, perhaps he had underestimated the Konoha shinobi. It was a foolish mistake.

"The sky is coal black, darkened by the lack of light. There are stars up there, but it's hard to see them in the suffocating moonless sky," She said, clarifying her statement. "Just like yourself."

"Not everything is symbolic, Ino," He said quietly, his voice rougher than she remembered. He had changed so much, but was still so much the same.

"No, everything is not symbolic, but when it comes to you, it is. You have always been symbolic. Whether you chose this night with that in mind, or if it was subconscious, this night is highly symbolic to you, Sasuke," Ino answered, her voice full of cocky knowledge.

"You are wrong and ignorant, Ino. You know nothing of me. Don't be so haughty and think you do," Sasuke growled. He didn't phase her, in fact, she stood there unwavering.

"Night is like the end. Darkness often represents death. When the sun sets, everything goes to rest, and the world takes on a different appearance. This moonless night is your darkest side, Sasuke. Don't deny it, you surely know this. Recognize it's significance as I speak your thoughts," Ino mused, taking a half step towards him. Sasuke frowned but didn't retreat from the advancing blonde.

"I am my darkest side. There is no good left in me, if there was ever any good in me in the first place. I've come here for one reason, and it wasn't to talk to you," Sasuke shot back, though making no move to leave.

"I know there is some good in you, even if it is a small spark of light hidden deep within the recesses of your mind. I would like to posses you now, so I can understand you better. So I can show you this is the truth. I am certain of it," Ino said, her eyes gleaming in the ink black night.

"If I were to allow the access, you would find that this is a lie. I've seen things that you, even as a shinobi, have never clapped eyes on. Things that would disturb you. Things that would render a lesser man crazy. Besides, the mind is my own sanctuary, and I'd sooner kill you before I let you enter it," Sasuke said, reaching a hand towards his sword.

"Are you going to kill me?" Ino asked, breathless with excitement and fear.

"You say it like you look forward to it," Sasuke observed, his hand hesitating.

"You say it like you'd rather not. I'm as good as dead anyway. It wouldn't complete your plan to leave me alive. After all, you aren't here to speak with me, never mind how pleasant this chat is," Ino said, still not reaching for a weapon to defend herself with.

"Why didn't you run and warn people? It's the sensible thing for a compassionate kunoichi to do," Sasuke asked her, dropping his hand to his side as he regarded her with a supercilious expression.

"You and I both know it would have been worthless. I was only a moment away from you sensing me. If I had run for it, you surely would have caught me and killed me. I would rather stand and look death in the face then run and get a sword in the back. I…I also wanted to see you again…one last time," Ino said, unable to hide the inevitable softening of her voice at the end. She saw a movement in his face, but it was hard to read in the dark.

"Don't try to sway me with your tender words. I have never had feelings for you, and I doubt I will ever feel anything for you except annoyance. Even now I can see that you haven't grown out of that certain characteristic. I thought it was immaturity, that you were young. But, I see that this judgment was wrong," Sasuke said. Even as he said these cutting words, she somehow knew he didn't mean them.

"I try to look at myself and see my strengths and flaws clearly. That is how I'm able to be so confident, because I know who and what I am. I don't try to cloud my view of myself to save my own feelings," Ino said. She took a full step closer to him, but he didn't seem to notice this time.

"Or maybe it's all a show just to cover the real Ino who is self-conscious and insecure," Sasuke said, still not noticing as Ino took another step forward.

"Or, Sasuke, maybe you're the insecure one here?" Ino asked. Sasuke was shocked by this development and didn't bother to conceal it. How could anyone think he was insecure?

"Insecure? I think not," Sasuke answered crisply.

"Why else did you leave Konoha? Why else did you leave? Don't give me any of that 'to get stronger' crap. We've all grown strong here without leaving. You are insecure and afraid to make connections with people. You are afraid they will see into you and into your heart and find things you'd like to keep hidden. You left to break connections that were threatening to form, that were already starting to form. Why else would Naruto and Sakura chase after you so tirelessly?" Ino said, framing her words carefully.

"I left Konoha to become what I needed to be to finish my goals. And while I was gone I found secrets about Konoha that lead me to tonight. My goals have somewhat changed, but I will accomplish them all, perfect and efficiently," Sasuke said, thoughtfully.

"Tonight you plan to destroy Konoha?" Ino asked, knowing that this was the truth as she brought her words to voice.

"Yes, that is my plan," Sasuke said, his voice a whisper.

"Where's Orochimaru?" Ino asked, lowering her voice similar to hers. They were within arms reach of each other now, and Sasuke still didn't move back.

"He's dead. Serves him right, thinking that he'd actually have the power to take my body as a vessel. He is a foolish man, and death is what he deserved," Sasuke muttered.

"Orochimaru had no friends," Ino commented, "that doesn't have to be the case with you. The man was evil. Sasuke, you deserve so much more."

"I don't deserve anything more, Ino. This is who I am, this is what I am destined to be. Don't try to change my mind with lies. I can never be more then this," Sasuke said.

"You just need someone to guide you," She said, her breath warm on his neck. Suddenly, she had her arms around him. Sasuke was shocked, his control slipping and his eyes blazed red. His whole body tensed with sensations that he didn't know existed anymore and his breath was ragged. He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm and shifting his eyes back to their dark, black.

"Ino," Sasuke said. His speech halted as she buried her face in the crook of his neck and breathed in his scent.

"Shh, Sasuke. If you must, kill me, but quiet yourself for a little. Hold me for my last minutes," She murmured, making the grave matter of her death sound as flippant as completing paperwork.

Sasuke knew he should push her away, but every cell in his body screamed for him to hold on. To pull her closer. To -- no, he couldn't think that. It was dangerous, it was emotions that he denied. It was the man-destroying lust that he fought.

"Don't be selfish and ask for things that you have no right to have," Sasuke said, his voice dark, even as he slipped his arms around her.

"You're saying no, but you don't mean it," Ino mused, retracting one hand that wrapped around him to place it over his heart. His chest was bare beneath her hand and her touch left a fiery sensation.

"You should hate me," Sasuke said, feeling his body stirring under her touch and his control slipping.

"I don't, Sasuke, I could never hate you," Ino whispered, leaning forward and pressing her lips against his. It was chaste and gentle at first, but grew into something heated and passionate. One of his hands traced patterns on her back and then traveled up farther to cup her face, while the other slid down to rest on her waist.

Sasuke slid his tongue over her lower lip and she opened her mouth and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss. Her hands roamed his chest, face, neck, and back, never ceasing in their exploration.

His hand on her waist slipped lower and reached for the fastenings on her skirt…

**Four years later.**

"Fugaku, stay close to mommy," Ino called after the little boy who was far up ahead and hard to see in the dark night. He stopped and waited for her to catch up.

"Where is the moon, mommy?" Fugaku asked, pointing up at the dark sky to bring her attention to the absence of this celestial body.

"It's a cycle, Dear. Some nights, the moon is full and bright. Then, it gets smaller and smaller night by night, until there is no moon," Ino explained.

"It come back?" Fugaku asked, clearly a worried little three year old.

"Yes, it will. After it is gone, then it starts to get bigger, night by night until it is full again," Ino said, smiling at her curious little son.

"Where are we going?" He asked, reaching up to hold his Mother's hand.

"Somewhere very special to mommy," Ino said, looking forward and seeing the spot where, four years ago, she had met Sasuke again, after so many years. Where she had given herself to him and prevented his destruction of Konoha.

Of course, she would be lying if she said it was a selfless act that she did because it was necessary. She had wanted it just as badly as he did, and she had enjoyed it just as much as he did.

And, truthfully, Ino missed the man dearly. She'd meant everything she had said to him that night, she knew he was good. Even if it was deep, deep down.

Ino sat down and gestured for her son to sit beside her.

"Fugaku, this is where I last saw your dad," Ino said, gently combing her fingers through his soft, black hair.

"Dad?" Fugaku asked, hopefully. Ino nodded and pulled him close, telling him all about his dad and what he was like. It wasn't long before the little boy was snoozing, his head in her lap.

"You picked a good night," Came a familiar, rough voice. Ino froze and looked up. There was Sasuke, standing right in front of her. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming, and looked up to see him still standing there.

"Sasuke," Ino murmured, her voice warm. The only thing keeping her from leaping up into his arms was Fugaku.

"Who's that? Babysitting for Kurenai?" Sasuke asked, his eyes passing over the sleeping child for a moment and then returning to her face.

"No, this is my son," Ino corrected. "Our son."

"Our son?" Sasuke asked, looking back at Fugaku with more interest now. He crouched down to get a better look at the boy.

"He has your hair and eyes," Ino said, smiling at Sasuke's reaction. The man reached out and gently touched the boy's forehead, pushing raven wisps out of his face.

"What's his name?" Sasuke asked, looking up at Ino again.

"Fugaku. I named him after your Father," Ino asked, slightly nervous, wondering what he'd think of her decision. "You like it?"

"Yes, I like it," Sasuke said, his eyes displaying a soft emotion that she hadn't ever seen there before, not even that night four years ago. "Who else knows that he is my son?"

"No one," Ino answered. "People asked, but I didn't think they needed to know. There were many guesses though. Shikamaru was a popular one, people thought he was the father because Fugaku had dark hair and dark eyes just like him. Some other ones were Neji, Kiba, and Shino. Amusingly, some people even considered Rock Lee.

"Or maybe, I didn't want to say who the Father was because I'd killed him. That the Fugaku was the accident of a seduction mission that went too far. Or that I didn't even know who the Father was because I'd spent my nights in too many beds."

"His face shape matches yours," Sasuke said, moving to sit beside Ino. After a moment's hesitation, she leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're not a whore, Ino."

"I know. You were my only and still are," Ino said, feeling more comfortable and snuggling closer to him.

They were both silent for a while, taking comfort in each other's presence. Sasuke thought about how much Ino had changed him. She'd stopped him from destroying Konoha and, after he had left, he couldn't stop thinking about her.

After a while, Sasuke started to believe what Ino had said. That there was good in him and he just needed someone to guide him. He missed her so much those four years, not even realizing until then that he could feel something like that anymore.

"Sasuke, will you stay with me?" Ino asked, sounding like she was on the edge of sleep.

"Always," Sasuke said.

"I love you," Ino said with a yawn and curling up against him.

"I love you, too," Sasuke whispered back, wrapping his arms around her.


End file.
